A Path Less Taken

Chapter 29 - Decision Making

"Ah. Clovis. How are you liking your new office?" Count Dooku suddenly said as he popped up on a hologram, garnering Clovis' attention immediately. "I must say, you look very comfortable behind that desk."

"Count Dooku," Clovis said, his eyes moving past his desk to make sure no one had made their way into the room. They didn't. "What do I owe the pleasure?"

"Come, come my boy. You don't think I'd let such an important day pass without wishing you the best of luck," Dooku said, making Clovis frown slightly.

"Thank you, but luck has nothing to do with it," he said. "The transfer has occurred without a hitch."

"Well of course it has. The Separatists are fully behind your appointment. After all, aren't we the ones who put your there?" Dooku said rhetorically.

"For your support, I'm grateful. But I now must lead without allegiance towards either side," Clovis said before turning back around in his chair. Dooku briefly raised an eyebrow before chuckling.

"Is that so?" he said with a small amount of vitrol in his tone. "Quite the idealist you've become in so short a time."

"What do you want Dooku?" Clovis questioned, turning back around to face him. He didn't like where this was heading at all.

"To collect on my investment. How much do you think the Republic would like to know that it was I who supplied Rush Clovis with all the information he needed to top over the leaders of the bank?" Dooku questioned. Clovis raised an eyebrow. Blackmail? And not very good blackmail at that.

"I will tell them myself," he said in a relaxed tone.

"Oh, but you can't," Dooku said darkly. Here Clovis started to feel slightly worried. "I put you in power. You belong to me. And if you want to stay in control, you will do as I say."

"The banks will remain unbiased," Clovis said firmly.

"Then I'm afraid the Separatists will be unable to pay the interest of our loans," Dooku said, crossing his arms.

"Then the banks will collapse," Clovis said as he stood to his feet. He was already understanding the implications of Dooku's threat.

"Not if you raise interest rates on the Republic," Dooku supplied.

"What?" Clovis questioned. "You know I can't do that."

"Oh, but you can and you will," Dooku said firmly. "Or everything that you fought so hard for will destroyed. Including what little of a relationship you have with Senator Amidala. How is she, by the way?"

"You leave her out of this!" Clovis exclaimed.

"She is also overseeing this appointment, is she not? And you've spent quite a bit of time together recently. Think very carefully about your next move Clovis," Dooku said threateningly. There was an ominous aura in the man's words as he ended the transmission.

Clovis sat down as all of Dooku's implications and the weight of the situation began to settle in. The Separatists definitely had eyes in the Senate as he seemed to know exactly what was going on between him and Padme. Or at least an idea. Dooku knew exactly what his tower was made of and knew exactly how to bring it crashing down. If he got out of this clean somehow, he was never making deals with Separatists again.

"Are you insane?!" Padme exclaimed.

"No. I'm trying to keep you alive," Clovis said.

"Alive? What does that..."